5A on the spot to provide football playoff excitement

November 29, 2010 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Time to take inventory on what has taken place thus far in the state football playoffs.

Three conferences have decided champions and gone three-for-three with thrilling finals -- all decided by three points.

Joseph City repeated in 1A beating Mogollon in a rematch of 2009.

 Northwest Christian beat Yuma Catholic for the second time this season to claim the 2A title and deny the Shamrocks a first-ever championship.

The 3A conference capped the trio of title games to date this past Saturday night and again it was a rematch of the 2009 final. This time Show Low turned the tables on Blue Ridge avenging a late season thumping and last year's title game loss with a 20-17 victory.

4A played its semifinals last weekend and three of the four games were heart-stoppers. Williams Field edges Notre Dame, 49-48, in an arena football type game. Thunderbird, a No. 12 seed, continued to impress with a double-overtime win over Desert Edge, 24-17.

And defending 4A-I champ Canyon del Oro came from behind to give itself a chance at a repeat, nipping Cienega, 28-24, on a late scoring run by Ka'Deem Carey. Saguaro with one of the most eye-popping big-play explosions in a quarter one could witness, topped Queen Creek, 42-13. The feather in the cap of the Bulldogs was playing tough to the end and playing the Sabercats pretty even in the second half, not just throwing in the towel despite the lopsided score.

So 5A has its semifinals Friday. In 5A-I Hamilton, still eyeing a three-peat, faces Mountain Pointe. The battle of the deserts -- Desert Ridge and Desert Vista complete the 5A-I pairings. Chaparral, aiming for a second straight title, takes on Westview and Centennial matches up with Tucson's lone rep in 5A, Ironwood Ridge.

5A has a tough act to follow given the last couple weeks of results in other conferences. 5A has its heavy favorites in Hamilton and Chaparral. But you never know what bounces an oblong ball can take.